es went off early to the
headquarters of the commandant; and Rupert remained chatting with
the family of his host. Two hours later he returned.

"Things are worse than I even feared," he said; "the royal guards
are almost destroyed, and the destruction wrought in all our noble
families is terrible. It is impossible to estimate our total loss
at present, but it is put down at 20,000, including prisoners. In
fact, as an army it has almost ceased to exist; and your
Marlborough will be able to besiege the fortresses of Flanders as
he likes. There has been a council of all the general officers here
this morning. I am to carry some dispatches to Versailles--not
altogether a pleasant business, but some one must do it, and of
course he will have heard the main incidents direct from Villeroi.
I leave at noon, Rupert, and you will accompany me, unless indeed
you would prefer remaining here on the chance of getting an earlier
exchange."

Rupert naturally declared at once for the journey to Paris.
Officers on parole were in those days treated with great courtesy,
especially if they happened to have a powerful friend. He therefore
looked forward to a pleasant stay in Paris, and to a renewal of his
acquaintance with Adele, and to a sight of the glories of
Versailles, which, under Louis XIV, was the gayest, the most
intellectual, and the most distinguished court of Europe.

Louis XIV could not be termed a good man, but he was unquestionably
a great king. He did much for France, whose greatness and power he
strove to increase; and yet it was in no slight degree owing to his
policy that, seventy years later, a tempest was to burst out in
France, which was to sweep away the nobility and the crown itself;
which was to deluge the soil of France with its best blood, to
carry war through Europe, and to end at last by the prostration of
France beneath the feet of the nations to whom she had been a
scourge.

The tremendous efforts made by Louis XIV to maintain the Spanish
succession, which he had secured for France; the draining of the
land of men; and the impoverishing of the nobles, who hesitated at
no sacrifices and efforts to enable the country to make head
against its foes, exhausted the land; while the immense
extravagance of the splendid court in the midst of an impoverished
land, ruined not only by war, but by the destruction of its trade,
by the exile of the best and most industrious of its people on
account of their religion,